Myanmar (Burma)

Myanmar (Burma)

Almost half of Myanmar’s land area is covered by forests, of which just 10% are primary forests. There has been extensive deforestation in the country, and this has increased in recent years, driven by the rapid expansion of commercial agriculture and infrastructure (Forest Trends, 2015). The annual rate of deforestation was 1.8% for the period 2010-15 (FAO, 2015).

Illegal logging is a significant problem in the country, with poor governance, weak law enforcement and conflict hindering efforts to address the problem.

In 2012, the EU lifted its sanctions against Myanmar, opening the way for the legal trade in timber (EIA, 2012). The following year, the government of Myanmar expressed its interest in negotiating a voluntary partnership agreement (VPA) with the EU, and preparations for the start of formal negotiations are underway (Myanmar Forest Department, 2014).

More financial support to invest in plantations and in improved techniques for harvesting and processing are needed to increase the contribution of forests and trees to rural livelihoods in Southeast...

This website has been funded by UKaid from the Department for International Development, with additional support from the European Forest Institute's EU FLEGT Facility. The Facility is funded by the European Union, the Governments of Finland, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The views expressed can in no way be taken to represent the official policies and views of either DFID or EFI.